“What, going out again?” Zhang Xiangu held her bowl and looked at Zhù Ying in astonishment.

The Zhù household had never observed the custom of “no talking at the dinner table” — they much preferred to discuss things while they ate. Zhù Ying had brought up the upcoming inspection tour right there at the dinner table, and Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da both received the news with considerable reluctance. Zhang Xiangu’s mouth was quicker and she asked first.

Zhù Ying said: “Managing a county’s affairs is a great deal of work — there’s no such lucky thing as displaying authority without actually doing the work.”

Zhù Da said: “I’ve seen plenty of officials who do exactly that.”

Zhang Xiangu set down her bowl and began counting on her fingers: “First we arrived here, and you couldn’t understand what anyone said — like a deaf-mute — all the furniture had to be scrounged together, the food wasn’t what we were used to, and thank goodness for Qi Taitai’s little daughter to help out. Then that rotten Governor came after you, and you barely managed to push him back. Then there was that whole mess of a situation to sort out, and just when you’d gotten it sorted, you started pounding people left and right. Now the autumn grain is in and your duties are squared away — shouldn’t you rest for a few days? But no — you can’t!”

Zhù Da chimed in from the side: “Exactly! I never saw county officials at home being this busy. I’m telling you — at least take a break. Back in the capital by now we’d be stewing a whole sheep and making a good pot of soup to restore your strength.”

Zhù Ying said: “You want mutton soup? The air is warmer here than in the capital — wait another half month and I’ll take care of it.”

“I’m not asking you for food! I’m trying to say something!” Zhù Da was exasperated.

Huajie said: “Little Zhù, I’ll handle the mutton soup — you don’t need to worry about that.”

Zhù Da said: “How did you start learning from her too?”

Zhù Ying said: “Mother also said I took on a thankless job — so doesn’t that mean I have to put in all the more effort? I’m not tired. When I’m out, I have a horse to ride, and someone handles my meals. What is there to worry about? But if I don’t keep watch this winter, there are definitely going to be people slacking off, and that would hold things up next year. I just got here — I can’t let things go wrong.”

Zhù Da said: “What? They saw how severely things were dealt with, and they’d still dare?”

Zhù Ying smiled: “Didn’t we just come from the capital? Every year I handled how many death-sentence cases, and it didn’t stop people from committing crimes. If I put in a little more effort, we all live a little more comfortably. And at least the weather is still decent — at least it’s a bit cooler.”

Zhang Xiangu said: “Fine then — I’m coming with you.”

This trip, Zhù Ying intended to map out the winter water conservancy work and two road projects along the way, and also drop by Zhao Su’s home for a look. She thought for a moment about the current weather and decided Zhang Xiangu was unlikely to fall ill on the road, so she said: “All right. Once this circuit is done, we can come back and get properly ready for the New Year.”

Zhang Xiangu grumbled quietly: “Oh, now I have to pack up the bags again!”

Since arriving in Fulu County, with no language to speak and nothing else to do, and seeing the yamen completely bare and not at all resembling a proper home, Zhang Xiangu had spent two months gradually filling the rear courtyard and making it look like somewhere people actually lived. Now that it finally had the feel of a home, they were going out on the road again…

The weather was not cold by now, but it carried a certain chill, so more clothing would need to be brought. Zhang Xiangu packed two large chests of clothing and bedding before she was satisfied.

——

The following morning, Zhù Ying went first to the yamen to attend to some business. The year’s major matters were nearly all completed; she left some officials and staff at the yamen to keep the day-to-day operations running, and set off for inspection herself alongside the County Deputy Guan.

The County Deputy said: “Me?”

“Yes, of course — you know the area well.” Zhù Ying said. Before she had arrived, the County Deputy had been the most senior official permanently stationed in the county, and he would certainly know many things about it.

Zhù Ying brought County Deputy Guan, Qi Tai, and others, and went township by township examining the water conservancy situation, deciding on the engineering work for several of the main channels in each area. Bringing Qi Tai was also a matter of calculating earth volumes and labor requirements. Fulu County’s terrain, unlike the flatlands around the capital, had a great deal of undulation. Even areas with relatively substantial farmland had hills and slopes not far beyond the fields. Uneven terrain meant that water conservancy work could not be done by the same methods she had learned in the capital region.

She had to think it through fresh!

Fortunately Fulu County was not starting from nothing — there were many existing irrigation channels. The County Deputy hadn’t made a deep study of them himself, but having seen so much over the years, he could at least explain some things to Zhù Ying: “Have a look here — this channel can’t run straight, it has to curve around. The roads here are the same — you can’t cut a path straight up the foot of the mountain to the top; it has to wind around the slope.”

Understood — and so the volume of work wound around and multiplied accordingly.

Zhù Ying said: “Go and invite Old Gu to come.”

Old Gu was someone who had lived in the county seat all along rather than being half-coerced into moving there recently by Zhù Ying. He had substantial landholdings near the county seat. As a person, his sense of duty to his country and community existed, but was not overwhelming — yet since his property was here, he naturally cared deeply about everything connected to it, including agricultural water management. This was true not just in Fulu County but throughout the realm — there were always such gentry who, in some respects, cared more about local matters than even the local officials. The late Li Zang, for instance, kept constant concern for how his home region’s climate was faring, whether floods or droughts had hit, whether the harvest was reduced — all of these things he followed closely.

Old Gu also cared deeply about the water conservancy works that ran through his fields.

It was not far outside the county seat, and fetching Old Gu would take no more than half a day. With Old Gu there, Zhù Ying could ask far more useful questions.

Old Gu said: “These channels here have existed for a good few hundred years. This stretch was dug by conscripted laborers in the court’s time. That little curved stretch over there — my own ancestor dug it himself! You can’t go digging channels any which way, either — in a heavy rain, it all gets washed out! Lining dry channels with stones is better. That spot over there — if there were a channel running through it, more fields could be opened up.”

Zhù Ying looked toward where he pointed and said: “Nice piece of land.” That spot happened to adjoin one of Old Gu’s own established fields. This scheming old man was definitely trying to use the county’s public works to run water over and make it convenient for his own family to open up wasteland! The crafty old thing!

Wait — wasn’t this exactly what she herself had done to Wang Yunhe back in the capital?!

She then asked Old Gu about the matter of labor. Old Gu said: “Cough cough — sometimes because of the weather, a few extra days of work are needed, and that is…”

“Hmm?” Zhù Ying became alert. Something in those words didn’t sound right. Delays caused by weather were entirely normal — why would he bring it up so deliberately?

The County Deputy nearby hastily explained: “Your Honor, there has never in all of history been a corvée project that wrapped up on time!”

Zhù Ying understood in an instant — she had seen plenty of this. The court had regulations specifying how many days of corvée service the people owed per year — for which the court paid nothing. But local practice had nothing to do with such principles. Any person who dared say “I’ve already served my full days this year, I’m done” would find himself dragged into a dark cell to clear his head. Sometimes local powerful families, if their exploitation wasn’t too severe, could actually attract people who “voluntarily” abandoned their court corvée in favor of working for the powerful families instead.

Zhù Ying nodded, then asked Old Gu: “I see there are many mountain forests here. It must be difficult to open up new farmland?”

Old Gu quickly bowed: “Your Honor — it is very difficult, and not worth the trouble.”

Zhù Ying said: “If it were easy, I imagine there’d be less enthusiasm for it, too.”

The mountain forests of the realm were vast, but many already had owners. Mountain forests produced timber, bamboo, game, medicinal herbs, and more. Throughout history there was a tradition that “the great famous mountains and rivers are not granted as fiefs” — meaning the most renowned mountains and waterways were kept in the court’s hands even against royal and noble families. Well-situated mountains and waterways all came under court control. Like roads, they had checkpoints where taxes were collected on passage. The fine timbers and minerals within were not for ordinary people to harvest at will.

Smaller hills and ponds tended to be held by powerful gentry. Most gentry had no desire to open them up — they were private property. They would rather keep them for personal hunting and leisure, or charge a fee for others to go cut firewood or catch fish.

Beyond these, there were scattered public hills and ponds not held by anyone in particular, yet not necessarily accessible to everyone either. A village pond, for instance, would not be open to people from another village to come and fish.

In short, anything that could have an owner did. Those that didn’t were either too difficult to claim or came with too many inconveniences and complications.

As for opening wasteland — the terrain in these parts was not particularly suitable for it. Zhù Ying’s knowledge of farming was limited, and what little she knew came from the north — she didn’t dare apply it wholesale to the south. Having never personally participated in land-clearing, and having only ever seen established fields, she asked Old Gu to explain.

Old Gu didn’t know much about this himself, and found an old tenant farmer to come and answer.

The old farmer heard the question and immediately waved his hands: “That’s no simple matter! A plot of land, even with five years of work, might not come to anything!”

Throughout history the court had regulations: open wasteland and you received a five-year or ten-year exemption from taxes. But applied to a place like Fulu County this was the court getting something for nothing from the people. Five or ten years was nowhere near enough time to develop a reliably productive plot of land that could feed anyone. It was essentially using people’s labor for free, and just when there was some yield to speak of, the taxes started coming. Only in places with naturally excellent conditions could such land-clearing actually produce a worthwhile return. Successful large-scale reclamation inevitably required continuous support from a large organizational force — military farms, or civilian settlement projects supplied with draft animals and seed.

The old farmer said: “Don’t be fooled by how lush the grass is growing here — try to plant grain, and for the first few years it won’t grow much at all! First, the soil has no fertility. Second, the seed isn’t right. Third, it’s all mixed up with wild weeds — but weeds and grain aren’t the same thing, or else why would anyone bother with grain? We’d all just eat weeds!”

The old man made a great deal of sense. Zhù Ying thought to herself: This is a problem.

She had originally conceived a plan to open wasteland for cultivation. Like all remote places, Fulu County could be described as “vast land, sparse people.” It had formerly been counted among the higher-tier counties, with a population large enough to qualify — because its territory was simply very large, not because its population density was high.

Zhù Ying said no more, sent for the leading “elders” from the county seat townships, and quietly shelved the land-clearing plan in her mind. First, look at the water conservancy and roads.

……

These gentry came in all forms — some plain, some handsome, some sharp, some dull — but the moment something worked in their own interests, every single one of them became an Old Gu. Zhù Ying felt as though she were looking at two or three dozen versions of herself, all hovering around Wang Yunhe and trying to wheedle him into routing a new channel past their own fields!

Zhù Ying thought: Tonight I’ll write a letter to Old Wang confessing my sins — he was genuinely too patient with me back then!

Among these people were some quick-minded ones who, noticing that Zhù Ying had also brought her parents on this tour — just as she had on her previous tour — thought to themselves: What a devoted child she is!

And so some of them, taking advantage of the nighttime, brought gifts to Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da and asked them to put in a good word.

Widow Chang went to Zhang Xiangu, reasoning that Zhù Ying seemed closer to her mother. A glance at where the family of three stood was enough to tell — Zhù Ying always stood nearer to her mother. Widow Chang had also moved to the county seat, and in these past days she had observed something of the Zhù household: Zhang Xiangu was the talkative one, and she and Huajie were the ones managing the household. And Huajie was also a constant companion at Zhang Xiangu’s side.

The Zhù household lived simply, but judging by some of Zhù Ying’s clothing and ornaments, which were quite fine, Widow Chang didn’t dare be stingy — she came bearing a whole box of jewelry for Zhang Xiangu.

Great misfortune! Zhang Xiangu did not speak the Fulu dialect!

By this point Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da could understand a little of the local dialect. Speaking was another matter entirely — yet they couldn’t resist trying, convinced they were speaking perfectly good Fulu dialect. The self-confidence of their delivery was exactly the same as Fulu locals who believed themselves to speak flawlessly unaccented Mandarin.

Widow Chang spoke; Zhang Xiangu heard it as a fog of words. Zhang Xiangu spoke; Widow Chang caught only scattered fragments.

Zhang Xiangu’s Fulu dialect was beyond saving, but when she saw the jewelry she understood its meaning perfectly, and waved her hands repeatedly to refuse: “Against the law! Against the law! You’ll get arrested!”

“Arrested and put in prison” was Zhang Xiangu’s worst nightmare. Both her husband and her child had been put in prison. Her daughter above all — she could absolutely not let her get in any more trouble.

Widow Chang couldn’t understand Zhang Xiangu’s words, but she understood her meaning from her manner. She hadn’t imagined this — Zhù County Magistrate seemed incorruptible on the surface, and the family members, too, were apparently this honest!

The person who tried to approach Zhù Da with a request for intercession also came away empty-handed.

People couldn’t believe it: How can a whole family have not a single greedy person in it?!

Alongside the displeasure, a small measure of admiration had quietly grown.

Yet the same shared worry arose: the more upstanding the official, the more likely to stir things up! Old Zhao said hesitantly: “If she were like the Counselor Wang in temperament, that would naturally be the best outcome. What I fear is that, not being after money, she might be after power and prestige — and then we’d be finished. She was just asking me about Zhao Su.”

Old Gu was taken aback: “Why didn’t you mention that sooner?”

A group of old men, half-old men, and a few young ones, were all anxious and worried. They would rather have this magistrate meddle with them than see her stir up trouble with the獠 people and start an uprising. That would truly be an endless source of trouble.

Zhù Ying, unaware of how fragile her standing was with them, was still with the gentry discussing the channel repair plans. With the resources of a single county it was clearly impossible to satisfy every landowner’s wishes. She and the various “elders” agreed: first, repair the main channels; at the same time, cut five new branch channels — that was this year’s plan. Next year, continue on the main channels and open new branch channels. Eventually form a full water network.

Where two clans were contesting for water rights, based on local rainfall the region should not be lacking in water — most of the problems were caused by the concentrated demand during the planting season.

Zhù Ying said: “Neither of you need fight. I will set water gates for you and divide the water. Using the registered number of farmland mu as the basis — three hundred mu gets three-tenths of the water, seven hundred mu gets seven-tenths. Once that’s divided, any remainder can flow as overflow. We share what there is. If things truly feel too tight, we press ahead with channel construction and can also excavate ponds to store water. But this year we still need to respect the people’s capacity for labor — we take it year by year.”

Those who still had undeclared farmland felt a sharp discomfort, but could say nothing.

Old Gu watched and decided she didn’t look like someone chasing easy glory, and asked: “You plan to… do this for how many years…”

Zhù Ying said: “Afraid I’ll just up and leave? Don’t worry — I will arrange everything as thoroughly as I can.”

There was also the matter of the newly registered households — the hidden ones that had now been brought into the books. Most of them had very little in the way of savings. Who would choose to be a hidden household if they had a decent alternative? They had previously had powerful families managing them in some fashion — now it fell to the court to think about their livelihoods. Zhù Ying personally toured every location where the newly registered people and farmland were located.

As she inspected, she enumerated able-bodied men on the spot and conscripted labor for the channel and road work.

Just as they were about to reach the edge of Fulu County’s territory, Old Zhao pointed ahead and said: “There it is! The Western Township. The Zhao family of Western Township — that is Zhao Su’s home. His father is named Zhao Feng.” Old Zhao said this while wondering to himself how Zhù Ying would handle a man who also hadn’t come to the county seat of his own accord to pay respects. Surely she wasn’t going to treat this fellow kindly when everyone else had been roughed up?

From that direction, someone came riding over on a short-legged pony: “Who goes there?”

The County Deputy stepped forward and called out: “County Magistrate Zhù of this county is on inspection! Come and pay respects at once!”

The rider came to a halt nearby, vaulted from the saddle: “Oh — so it’s Senior Official Guan.”

“Quickly — go pay respects to the County Magistrate.”

This was a sturdy, well-built man, his skin slightly dark, who dropped to the ground at once: “Respects to Magistrate Zhù. This humble one will go at once to inform my master that he should come to receive you.”

Zhù Ying said: “Why go to such trouble? We’ll go together.”

Partway along the road, someone came running ahead at full speed. Then after a while, Zhao Su came to meet them in person, standing at the side of the road and making a long bow with both hands: “This student Zhao Su respectfully greets Your Honor.”

Zhù Ying said: “No need for formalities. You did me a great service. Please lead the way.”

Old Zhao had genuinely guessed wrong — Zhù Ying was being very courteous to this Zhao Su, and the reason was entirely above board: Zhao Su had presented the white pheasants, so wasn’t a measure of courtesy perfectly natural?

Old Zhao gave a slight pout.

……

They walked for most of another day before arriving at a fortified estate. The site was quite extensive, with paddy fields on the outside. The fields were no longer occupied by workers. Zhao Feng came out through the main gate to welcome them. Zhù Ying did not put on superior airs, bowing slightly in the saddle before dismounting and walking on foot to stand before Zhao Feng: “You have a fine son.”

Zhao Feng glanced at Zhao Su and said: “Your Honor praises him too highly. This commoner is often ill and could not come to pay my respects earlier. Fortunately, my son proved himself of some use — and at least did not fail your consideration.”

He also greeted Old Zhao and the others and ushered the whole party inside. Zhù Ying observed the estate carefully. The architecture was a mixture of styles she didn’t quite recognize — both wood and stone construction. They came before a proper main courtyard, where more household guards lined up to welcome them. Zhù Ying noticed that some of these men had features slightly different from the typical Fulu County resident. Recalling that Zhao Feng’s wife was the sister of a獠 chieftain, she thought: There would naturally be some attendants who came with her.

Zhao Feng arranged a banquet for Zhù Ying’s welcome and invited Zhang Xiangu inside to be entertained by his wife.

Zhù Ying said: “There’s no hurry. All along this journey we’ve made it a rule to handle business before anything else.”

Zhao Feng said: “This commoner has long heard of Your Honor’s capable and generous character. The unreported members of my household who have grown in number over time have all been reported. There are also some who came as servants in my wife’s dowry, and a few of their relatives who have come to stay.”

Old Zhao inwardly cursed Zhao Feng as a fox — in a single sentence he’d neatly blamed all the overage on the獠 people! But he couldn’t say so aloud, and choked on it furiously.

Zhù Ying said: “Is that so? You weren’t in the county seat so you may not have heard — I’ve already told everyone that past matters are turned over. We speak of new matters now.”

“This commoner is unlearned — I beg Your Honor’s instruction.”

Zhù Ying gestured to the County Deputy with a wave of her fingers. The County Deputy said: “Channels to be dug! Water to be divided! Roads to be repaired! Hey — distributed according to registered population and farmland.”

Zhao Feng was momentarily at a loss: “I — I don’t know how Your Honor intends to conscript labor from the Western Township? The Western Township is remote, and the population is not that large.”

Zhù Ying had him spread out a map on the spot and laid out for him the water conservancy work based on the existing channels. When she finished she asked for his opinion. Zhao Feng said: “Whatever Your Honor decides.”

His manner was not cold, but carried a politely distant quality. Zhù Ying smiled: “Let’s leave it at that for now then.”

Zhao Feng immediately had the banquet served. Zhù Ying made no attempt to force a meeting with his wife, but said: “My father and mother have only recently arrived here. Older people learn things slowly, and with the language barrier — I like to spend as much time with them as I can when I have the chance.”

Zhao Feng turned and said: “Go and invite the Madam to come.”

Before long his wife was escorted out surrounded by several maidservants. Zhù Ying studied this woman who was the proper sister of a chieftain — she appeared to be somewhere around forty, yet was very well preserved, her skin still relatively smooth and fine, her features upright and dignified. Zhao Su resembled her. She was dressed in silk, right-facing lapel, hair piled into a bun, but the embroidered patterns on her clothing and shoes carried a faintly layered, mysterious quality. Her jewelry was a mixed and matched assortment of styles.

Among the attendants at her side were two women of an age similar to her own, plus several younger ones. Their clothing likewise had that same eclectic quality.

This Madam could speak the Fulu dialect. Zhang Xiangu could understand a little of it. Huajie by now had no trouble comprehending it — speaking it was still not quite fluent. Zhù Ying accepted half of this Madam’s salutation, then politely entrusted Zhang Xiangu and Huajie to her care: “My mother and elder sister are in your kind hands, Madam.”

Zhao Niangzi said: “It’s a rare pleasure to have so many visitors. The last time things were this lively was when my brother and his daughter came to see me.”

Zhù Ying said: “We’re sorry to impose.”

Zhao Feng then had his son come pour the wine. Zhang Xiangu grew alarmed and said: “She can’t drink wine.”

Not many people there could understand her words. The others guessed her meaning — she was telling people not to pour too much wine for Zhù Ying — and people around her said all at once: “Nobody would dare pour too much for the Magistrate!”

It was finally the County Deputy who translated: “The honored one is saying that the Magistrate cannot drink wine.”

The Zhao family bowed their heads slightly. Zhao Feng drank the first cup himself.

Zhù Ying said: “I haven’t touched mine yet, and you’re already drinking yours? I arrived at your home, and everything I drink is from your house — do you drink ahead of me for everything?”

Zhao Feng said with an awkward smile: “Your Honor forgive me — this commoner was thirsty. Thirsty.”

Zhù Ying said: “Everyone sit. The reason I don’t drink wine is something you’ll all come to understand in time. Mother, have a slow drink with Father.”

Zhang Xiangu understood what Zhù Ying said after that at least: “Oh, oh.” She could tell something had gone wrong from the atmosphere even without understanding the words — she’d probably said something off — and sat down awkwardly, pulling Zhao Niangzi down to sit with her and have wine.

Zhù Ying said to Zhao Su: “You sit too — I haven’t properly thanked you yet.”

Zhao Su said: “I would not dare.”

Everyone did their best to liven the atmosphere. Zhù Da, unable to understand much of the conversation, ended up toasting with the most Mandarin-proficient of the gentry present — Old Gu’s nephew, a man called Liao Sheng. Cup after cup, he praised the wine: “Now this has some kick to it!” He wasn’t speaking perfectly standard Mandarin either, but at least he could communicate passably with Mandarin speakers.

Zhao Feng, seeing this, quickly said: “Your Honor cannot drink wine — might you take tea?”

“Of course.”

Zhao Feng had tea brought out and then began by thanking Zhù Ying for remitting Fulu County’s overdue taxes. Zhù Ying said: “For that, I must thank your household as well.” She rose and suggested everyone drink a toast to Zhao Feng, raising her teacup and looking around the table: “We are mutually indebted to each other. As we spend more time together, you will all come to understand my character.”

Zhao Feng thought to himself: Your character? Is your character teaching people how to behave using those two rows of cangues outside the yamen gate?

His expression was all moved sincerity and humility: “In all my decades, this commoner has never before encountered an official who spoke so openly from the heart to ordinary people such as us!”

What flattery! Old Zhao cursed him inwardly — this scoundrel, having married a獠 woman, not gone to the county seat to pay respects and not gotten beaten for it, was now sitting here putting on a performance! If the Zhao families had truly merged their clan branches back then, the shame of it would have been enough to kill him.

Old Zhao said with great feeling: “When I thought of my worthy nephew before, I always knew he was a man of understanding. Today he has managed to put so plainly into words what was in all of our hearts! We all felt the same — we just couldn’t find the words. You are the one with learning!”

With one hand praising Zhao Feng and the other praising Zhù Ying, this group of gentry — having taken a small loss at Zhù Ying’s hands — had no wish to see Zhao Feng come through unscathed either. They also wanted to see Zhù Ying meet with a polite refusal from Zhao Feng’s side.

Old Gu also praised Zhao Su: “What a fine and presentable young man! How is it that he hasn’t come to the county seat? You see — if Your Honor hadn’t come out in person today, your family might not have even known about the channel-digging. When the water allocation came around and missed your share, Your Honor’s conscience would suffer, and you yourself would lose out on your planting season too.”

Zhao Feng thought to himself: Old dog — you’ve come with this official to take a hostage!

Zhù Ying said: “Young Master speaks very good Mandarin — isn’t he a county school student?”

Zhao Su’s expression tightened and he shook his head. Zhù Ying looked at his face and sensed that this seemed to touch a sore spot. Thinking back on her brief acquaintance with Zhao Su, he had not struck her as the sort of person who could not study.

She said: “When this inspection tour is over and we return, I will be presiding over the county school selection. I can see you are someone who could apply himself to learning. Why not give it a try? If you can pass the examination and earn a posting one day, that would make this chance meeting of ours not entirely in vain.”

Zhao Feng’s heart stirred slightly. He looked at his son, then at his wife. His wife gave him the faintest shake of her head. Zhao Feng said with sorrow to Zhù Ying: “I fear this boy will only disappoint Your Honor’s expectations.”

Zhù Ying did not immediately press the point and quieted Old Gu and the others who had started to interject: “There’s no hurry. The winter solstice is still some time off. Come — drink!”

Though she drank only tea, she chatted warmly with these people. Old Gu, by this point, had also thought things through: whoever had been singled out by the young County Magistrate was going to end up giving something sooner or later! If he said more now and had the County Magistrate notice, she might end up bleeding him first. He changed his tone and confined himself to talking about things seen along the road, remarking that the whole county would be able to enjoy a good New Year this year.

Zhao Feng said: “This year is a small good harvest — brew some wine, warm it when winter comes, sit around a fire and roast some meat — perfect!”

Zhù Ying said: “Speaking of that reminds me — when we get back, it will be time to start making charcoal. Oh, Old Guan — when they distribute the charcoal, don’t go stockpiling more than you need.”

The County Deputy said: “That means cutting trees.”

Zhù Ying said: “Precisely what I wanted to raise — I’ve been thinking about opening the forests.”

Everyone was immediately curious: “Your Honor means…?”

“We all find winter cold, and the common people find it even harder. Here’s a thought — open up the county’s mountain forests a little. Everyone who’s on the official registers may go in every three days and carry out one load of firewood. Let’s try it for one winter. If it works, we keep doing it. If there are problems, we stop next year.”

The County Deputy said: “Excellent!”

Zhao Niangzi heard this and laughed: “Too much fuss for such a small thing. You’d have to actually manage it, and winter here doesn’t freeze many people to death anyway.”

Zhù Ying turned to look at her, about to ask her meaning, when Zhao Su quietly said: “A’Ma.”

Zhao Niangzi gave a huff: “This child — never straightforward.”

Zhù Ying said: “He seems perfectly fine to me — not the sort to make parents worry. Madam, you have a fine son.”

Zhao Niangzi gave a light laugh: “Your Honor has a way with words.”

“If Madam says so, then it is so.”

Old Zhao had drunk a bit of wine and said: “Your Honor is right —獠 women are forthright and direct.”

Zhù Ying caught sight of Zhao Su’s eyebrows furrowing slightly, and she saw Zhao Niangzi’s face cool in an instant — a flash of disgust crossed both mother and son’s faces before returning to calm.

Zhù Ying said: “Forthright people can be found anywhere. So can prickly ones. It has nothing to do with what land you’re from, whether you’re male or female, old or young. I myself enjoy talking with forthright people, and I like to say what I mean — so none of you can take offense when I say things bluntly in future. Madam — a toast to you.”

Zhao Niangzi gave a faint smile and raised her cup to Zhù Ying: “Your Honor is not an unlikeable person.”

The others all contributed to smoothing things over, and since the area bordered on獠 lands and had absorbed some of the local customs, men and women outside began singing. Zhù Ying listened carefully to the melody and picked up her flute and played along. Zhao Niangzi said: “Now that’s splendid!” and had her attendants begin to dance. The scene came alive again with warmth and noise.

When Zhù Ying finished her piece, she said to the County Deputy: “How wonderful to have such liveliness. We should have our banquets like this going forward too.”

The County Deputy said: “Whatever Your Honor commands.”

When the banquet ended, Zhao Feng arranged for everyone to stay the night. Zhù Ying, not having touched a drop of wine and with her head still perfectly clear, gently dismissed the maidservants who came to attend to her: “Just leave the water — I’m not drunk, and I don’t need anyone to wait on me. You should also rest early; you’ll have work to do again tomorrow morning.” With that she took the basin herself: “Off you go. Oh — if the master of the house is still not in a hurry to sleep, please invite him to come for a brief visit.”

The maidservants withdrew nervously and went to report to the Zhao family master.

The Zhao family of three was in the middle of an argument. Zhao Su was quarreling with his mother, and Zhao Feng was trying to talk his wife down: “Madam, they meant no harm.”

Zhao Niangzi was furious: “Zhao Feng! What they said about me — that I’m angry about. But nothing you said just now infuriates me more than that! You know what I hate most!”

Zhao Feng was deeply put-upon. His wife was from the獠 people herself!

The maidservant’s arrival rescued the father and son. Hearing Zhù Ying’s message, Zhao Feng said: “Now we get to the real business.”

Zhao Niangzi said: “If she comes, she comes.”

Zhao Su said: “A’Ma, why don’t Father and I go meet with the Magistrate?”

“What? Are you afraid I’ll speak out of turn?”

Zhao Feng said: “You understand — when men discuss matters… and besides, we should always hold something in reserve. If all three of us go together, and something forces us to give an answer then and there, we’d all be committed at once. Let us go first, and if there’s anything truly inescapable, Madam can hold the rear and offer a rebuttal afterward.”

Zhao Niangzi said: “Fine. You two go.”

Father and son went to the guest room. Zhù Ying had already finished washing her face and was standing in the courtyard looking up at the sky. Two lanterns approached and Zhù Ying said: “The weather is clear.”

Zhao Feng clasped his hands in greeting: “Your Honor has summoned us. We wonder if the hospitality of our humble home has been inadequate in some way?”

Zhù Ying turned to look at him: “There is something I wished to inquire about. I would not presume to wander freely while staying as your guest, so I had to ask the two of you to come here for a chat.”

Zhao Feng asked what the matter was.

Zhù Ying said: “Madam is of the獠 people?”

“She is.”

“‘The獠 people’ is our way of saying it. How do they refer to themselves?”

Zhao Feng was taken aback. Zhao Su also didn’t know how to answer. Zhù Ying looked at father and son and said: “What — neither of you knows? ‘獠 people’ — the character 獠. It sounds fierce. Though fierce has its advantages — harder to be bullied. Still, it’s not exactly a flattering name. Southerners call northerners rough and uncouth, and northerners look down on southerners as barbarous. Would either name sit comfortably? To my way of thinking, ‘southerners’ and ‘northerners’ would do perfectly well. Don’t you think?”

Zhao Feng gave an uncomfortable smile: “Women can be sensitive…”

Zhù Ying waved her hand: “Is bearing mistreatment silently the same as being magnanimous? It brings bad fortune to tell others to be magnanimous. If you don’t know, say you don’t know — don’t waste my time asking a question and have people think I’m being callous. Zhao Su, do you know?”

Zhao Feng quickly said: “He’s young, he’d know even less. Your Honor please wait a moment — we’ll go ask her.” He pulled his son away.

Zhù Ying smiled and went back inside to trim the lamp brighter.

Outside, the family of three was in conversation again. Zhao Niangzi said: “He really asked that?”

Zhao Feng said: “Would I make that up?! I say — why don’t we…”

Zhao Niangzi said: “Why don’t we what? Hmph! I think that person speaks pleasantly, but her heart has goodness knows how many chambers. I want to see her myself.”

“This…”

“Hmm?”

“All right, all right.”

All three went back to the guest room. Zhù Ying’s door was open, and seeing them approach, she didn’t rise first but tapped her finger once on the table. The Zhao family of three walked in. Zhù Ying said: “You need not wait for me to invite you in?”

Zhao Niangzi was direct: “They told me to come answer a question. Your Honor, did you know — you’re not the first person to ask this question. The last person to ask…”

“Invited some of the chieftains over and had them burned?” Zhù Ying finished. “He was a fool who couldn’t see past the present moment.”

Zhao Niangzi paused.

Zhù Ying said: “So — what do the獠 people actually call themselves?”

Zhao Su said quietly: “I once heard my mother say — though it is in the獠 tongue… the sound is ‘Yinxia.’ The meaning is… ‘the clan of beautiful jade.'”

“Do they produce jade?”

“Their place of origin produced jade. After the migrations, it was gone.”

Zhù Ying said: “A fine name. You too are fine jade of good quality. Have you thought it over? The school selection also requires a test. What books have you read? Have you started preparing?”

Zhao Feng looked left and right, bracing himself against his wife’s gaze, and asked: “Could my son truly be eligible?”

Zhù Ying said: “Is there anything wrong with him? He doesn’t look like a fool. The people who showed up half the time and still occupied school slots — why would he be ineligible? I am precisely intending to expel those who are there in name but not in substance, and to select genuinely good material to properly cultivate. To leave Fulu County a few people who can truly advance through learning and serve the court — that will be the trace I’ve left here.”

Zhao Feng let out a long breath: “Is it truly possible?”

Zhù Ying said: “The people of Fulu County don’t have one fewer brain than anyone else — how could their scholarship possibly fall short of others? Those you look at outside and think ‘what learning and refinement’ — they’ve simply read more books and seen more of the world. It’s not that they’re specially intelligent. A seed fallen onto fertile soil — that’s all. Seeds that fall on thin sand need not think there’s something wrong with themselves.”

Zhao Feng desperately wanted to agree at once, but thinking of his wife, said: “Let this commoner think on it a little longer.” He made several meaningful glances at his wife.

Zhù Ying waved her hand and asked Zhao Su: “What is your own thinking? Only if you yourself are willing can you learn well. If you’re unwilling, no matter how smart you are, if you simply refuse to study, nothing will come of it. If you have other ambitions — martial pursuits, or something else entirely — you can say so as well. We are mutually indebted to each other — Fulu County and I, and you and I. Since it’s mutual, let us handle things well and have a proper discussion.”

Zhao Feng was still trying to leave a gracious pause, intending to give Zhù Ying an answer only after consulting his wife. But Zhao Su spoke before either parent: “This student is willing!”

“Ah —” Zhao Feng still made a token gesture of trying to intervene.

Zhao Niangzi said with a cold expression: “Fine. Let him go.”

“This is for the selection — if he doesn’t pass, I’d simply have to work out another arrangement to keep him on as an auditing student.”

Zhao Feng asked quickly: “What does that mean?”

Zhù Ying said: “I chose scribes from the whole county, even reaching into the distant townships — you can guess why, and it wasn’t to lure people from remote areas here to be slaughtered. I hope the court would do the same. So when I select students, I use the same principle.”

She moved her hand back and forth in the space between herself and the Zhao family of three: “We — are mutually indebted to each other. How about it, Madam? If you want to ask your brother’s opinion, that’s something between me and your brother and ‘the clan of beautiful jade’ — that would be a separate matter. What I’m speaking about right now is the matter between myself and the elders and commoners under my governance — let us set the other side aside for a moment and talk about this side.”

Zhao Niangzi frowned: “He is the son of a獠 woman.”

Zhù Ying said: “You, a獠 woman, can sit in front of me and speak as you please. Before my mother became the mother of an official, she had to kneel before a county magistrate. What does it matter who is ‘獠’ and who is not? If you are willing, go home and pack his bags. Oh — do you have a house in the county seat?”

Zhao Feng said quickly: “This commoner can arrange it even now — please have no concern!”

“If you don’t have one, I can also rent you one.” Zhù Ying said.

Zhao Feng wasn’t sure if she was joking, but said anyway: “Since it’s for studying, a house would be needed sooner or later.”

Zhù Ying said: “Promises made in haste may be regretted. The three of you go discuss it among yourselves? The Western Township inspection is nearly done. Once the channel work is arranged, I’ll be heading back in a day or two to spend the winter. Give me your answer before I leave.”

Zhao Feng took a slow deep breath: “Then we won’t disturb Your Honor’s rest any further.” He took his wife and son and left.